SUBCHAPTER
2
MAINTENANCE, SERVICES, AND UTILITIES

ARTICLE
10 Artificial Lighting

Section27-2037 Duty to Provide Electric Lighting Equipment
in all Dwellings27-2038 Electric Lighting Fixtures
in Certain Public Parts of Dwellings; Fixtures and Lights
Required 27-2039 Lighting to be provided
at Night; Owners Responsibility27-2040 Lights Near Entrance Ways
and in Yards and Courts of Multiple Dwellings

The
owner shall equip every dwelling for lighting by electricity. Such owner shall
provide and maintain light fixtures to provide lighting for all public parts
in a dwelling, including the means of egress, for every room, water closet
compartment and bathroom in every dwelling unit, and for every water closet
without the dwelling unit. In addition to required light fixtures, the owner
shall install and maintain such receptacle outlets as may be required by the
electrical code. Except as otherwise provided in this code or in the electrical
code, the owner may substitute an additional receptacle outlet for a required
light fixture in living rooms other than kitchens.

In every multiple dwelling and tenant-occupied two-family dwelling,
the owner shall provide electric lighting fixtures for every public hall,
stair, fire stair and fire tower on every floor, in accordance with the following
requirements:

If an incandescent lighting fixture is provided, it shall be capable
of providing illumination of at least ten watts per twenty-five square
feet of floor area or fraction thereof. Each lighting fixture shall be
provided with one or more lights of a total of not less than sixty watts.
Where, under this requirement, the number of watts per fixture would exceed
one hundred, one or more additional fixtures shall be provided and shall
be located as may be prescribed by the department, except where the distance
from the fixture to the farthest intersecting wall does not exceed twenty
feet.

If a fluorescent lighting fixture is provided, it shall be capable of
providing illumination of at least four watts cool white fluorescent light
per twenty-five square feet of floor area or fraction thereof. Each lighting
fixture shall be provided with one or more lights of a total of not less
than twenty watts. Where, under this requirement, the number of watts per
fixture would exceed forty, one or more additional fixtures shall be provided
and shall be located as may be prescribed by the department, except where
the distance from the fixture to the farthest intersecting wall does not
exceed twenty feet.

In every multiple dwelling hereafter erected, in addition to other lighting
requirements, a sufficient number of incandescent or fluorescent fixtures
shall be provided so that the distance between fixtures is not more than
thirty feet and so that no wall is more than fifteen feet distant from
a fixture.

The department may approve electric lighting for public halls, stairs,
fire stairs and fire towers other than the incandescent and fluorescent lighting
required in subdivision a of this section if such other method of electric
lighting provides equivalent illumination, and meets the requirements of
the electrical code.

Notwithstanding any other requirement of this section, the department
may require fixtures to be so located, and additional fixtures to be installed,
in order to assure that every part of every public hall, stair, fire stair
or fire tower is adequately lighted.

Sec. 27-2039 Lighting
to be provided at night; owner's responsibility

The
owner of a multiple dwelling shall turn on all required lights in every public
hall and stair at sunset every day and shall keep them on until sunrise the
day following.

The
owner of a multiple dwelling shall keep all required lights burning continuously

in every fire stair and fire tower;

in every stair and public hall where there is no window opening on a
street, court, yard, space above a setback, or on a shaft; and

in every stair and public hall where there is a window which in the
opinion of the department does not provide adequate natural light.

The owner of a multiple dwelling shall provide electric light at all
hours of the day and night in rooms or spaces in multiple dwellings in which
laundry equipment is provided for the common use of the occupants whenever
natural light is insufficient in the opinion of the department.

The owner of a multiple dwelling shall install and maintain in working
condition a lighting fixture that can be turned on by a tenant or by the
mail carrier directly over a mail box or other receptacle for mail if the
natural light in the public hall is not sufficient to read the names on
each mail box or receptacle.

The owner of a multiple dwelling shall not be responsible if any required
light becomes extinguished and remains so if such owner can show to the satisfaction
of the department or the court that it became and remained extinguished without
his or her knowledge or consent.

Sec. 27-2040 Lights
near entrance ways and in yards and courts of multiple dwellings

The owner of a multiple dwelling shall install and maintain one or more lights
at or near the outside of the front entrance way of the building which shall
in the aggregate provide not less than one hundred watts incandescent illumination
or its equivalent for a building with a frontage up to twenty-two feet, and
two hundred watts incandescent illumination or its equivalent or a building
with a frontage in excess of twenty-two feet. In the case of a multiple dwelling
with a frontage in excess of twenty-two feet and front entrance doors with
a combined width in excess of five feet, the owners shall install at least
two lights, one on each side of the entrance way, with an aggregate illumination
of three hundred watts incandescent illumination or its equivalent. If the
minimum level of illumination is maintained, the owner may determine details
of location, design and installation of lighting fixtures, subject, however,
to regulations of the department with respect to the maximum height above
or distance from the entrance way of such fixtures, and the electrical and
other safety of their installation. The lights required by this subdivision
shall be kept burning from sunset on each day to sunrise on the day following.

The owner of a multiple dwelling shall install and maintain in every
yard and court one or more lights of at least one hundred watts of incandescent
illumination or its equivalent, in such locations as the department may
prescribe. The lights required by this subdivision shall be kept burning
from sunset on each day to sunrise on the day following.